Ria
by Catfoot
Summary: Ria is one of many slaves in Valdemar. There is a slave ring that the queen hasen't found out about. This isn't your average slavery though. They are beaten and bled for a blood mage. I suck at writing summaries so read it and find out more.
1. Bought

Chapter 1:  
  
I leaned against the door and strained to hear through it. I listened to Mistress and some man haggle over prices. The man was going to buy some of us kids and Mistress wanted top dollar.  
  
"I'll pay two silvers a child and that's it. I will go no higher," the man stated firmly.  
  
"For two silvers you buy at least three of the brats," Mistress snarled back.  
  
"I shall be buying more than three. I plan to buy ten or twelve of them. That should be enough. Now shall we see the children now?" The man phrased it nicely enough, but there was an edge to his voice.  
  
I heard Mistress hurrying back to our room and I jumped back from the door. She jerked it open and we all looked at her. She stepped in front of me to hide me from view. She didn't want to sell me because I took care of the other children and she didn't have to do as much with me around. I wasn't the oldest child, but the others just listened to me for some reason. It was probably because I have taken many beatings for the others.  
  
I looked around her skirts to see the man and I almost jerked back in surprise. Most of the men who came here to buy children were scrubby and dirty. They were ugly and mean. This man looked kind and handsome. He had pure black hair with slate grey eyes. He had soft features that made him look kind, and he was whip cord thin. He looked around the room and made his choices.  
  
"I'll take the red headed boy in the corner, the twin boys on the blanket, the blond girl huddled next to them, the sandy haired boy at your feet, and those two brown haired boys over there. They all look to be about six or so," he made the statement into a question then continued at Mistress' nod. "I'll take those three little kids over there, the two boys and girl. I'll also take the baby in the crib. Now, who will be my special child...." He looked straight into my eyes, "I'll take that dark girl your hiding behind your skirts. I assume she is the one taking care of the others? Yeah, I'll take her. Now, let's get them sent out to the wagon and I'll pay you."  
  
"Ya wannum tied up?" At his nod she told him, "The rope's extra." He shrugged and she snapped out to us kids, "You ones who were chosen, get your arses out to the main room. Ria, make sure they all get out there."  
  
My arm was twisted as she grabbed it and shoved me forward. She shoved rope into my hands and I started tying kids into a line. I had done it many times before, so it went quickly. I tied the three little ones in between the bigger kids in the middle. They were triplets so I kept them together. Our new master led us out to the wagon and then stopped. He grabbed the rope and roughly tied it around my waist. He shoved the baby into my arms and lifted us into the wagon. When all of us were in the wagon he looked at me and started the introductions.  
  
"My name is Master Alan. I now own you. You will learn the rules when we get to your new home. Now tell me everyone's name, Ria isn't it?"  
  
"Yes sir, I'm Ariana, but everyone calls me Ria."  
  
"Don't call me sir, call me Master Alan." He snapped out at me.  
  
"Yes Master Alan. Well, the baby's name is Sara. She's about six months old. We'll need to get some milk for her. The littles are triplets. They are Helena, Nathanial, and Gregory. They are about four years old. The rest of us are about six years old. It's easiest to think of us as the same age, 'cuz were not quite sure on most of us. Let's see, the red headed boy is Zachariah, the twins are Laran and Jarad, the blond girl is Raina, the light brown sandy haired boy is Gabriel, and the two dark brown haired boys are Micah and Lincoln." I tried to put the phrases that he used to the others so he'd know who I was talking about.  
  
We rode awhile in silence then the horses stopped before a huge house. The driver didn't say a word as we all filed out and went into the house. We didn't see the sad look on his face as he watched us enter the house. He shook his head as he clucked to the horses and drove them away.  
  
The door closed behind us and Master Alan placed a bar across it in holders to the sides. "This door will not be opened again until I say so. Now, let me tell you what will happen. I have a master, and I do her bidding and no one else's. She is a blood path mage. That means she gets her power from other people's blood and pain. In this case she gets her power from you. I am hers and I will get the blood for her and you will be the ones to bleed. I have been doing this for many years, thirteen to be exact. Mostly the groups last about two years. The groups last as long as my chosen one stays sane. Ria is my chosen one. She will take care of you after you are bled, and all other things. Eventually she will be the one whipping you until you bleed. I know this is a lot to take in, but that doesn't matter. You will bleed anyways." He grinned and his eyes clouded as he remembered past times. "Now, Ria will have full run of the house to clean and take you food and all of that. None of you others can leave your rooms unless I tell you to. Now we're going to go to your new rooms starting with the three little ones. You will share a room for now."  
  
He led us down a long hall and no one spoke. The only noise was footsteps and some muffled sobs of those who were too scared to hide it. I felt my eyes fill with tears as I thought through what he said. Then a question popped into my mind. I was walking next to him and looked over at him. "What happens if I go insane? You said that is how long the group lasts. Do you let the others go?"  
  
He looked at me with the coldest eyes I had ever seen, "No. I kill everyone when my chosen one goes insane." He smiled and just led on.  
  
He stopped suddenly in front of a door and said, "This is where the triplets go." He untied them, and then opened up the door.  
  
I looked in as it opened and felt my eyes go wide. The room was only about six feet by six feet. It didn't have a bed, only some blankets on the floor. It also had no light, the door had some slots that could be opened and closed from the outside only. There was another door on the other side of the room and Master Alan pointed to it.  
  
"You all see that door? That door means trouble. If that door is opened, you are going to be in pain. That means that you are going to get beaten. I don't even have to have a reason. I could just want to hurt one of you." Without warning he struck out and backhanded me into the wall.  
  
I tasted blood and cried out as I struck the wall. I almost dropped Sara, but managed to keep a hold on the blankets.  
  
Master Alan roughly untied the littles and shoved them into the room. They were to scared to protest and went quickly into the room. He shoved the door shut and looked at the rest of us. These doors aren't locked, but if any of you, except Ria, are out of your rooms without permission, you will get the worst beating of your life."  
  
He led us a little farther down the hall to the nest door, "This is Raina's room. You will have Sara in here with you for now. Be happy with this, because for now that means you won't get beaten. Whoever's room she is in doesn't get beaten. She will get switched between rooms." He opened the door to a room that was smaller than the last. This room was about four feet by six feet. "The rest of the rooms are this size, except Ria's." He untied Raina, but didn't push her into the room. "You have three seconds."  
  
"Three seconds to what?" She asked him in her light voice.  
  
"Three."  
  
"What am I supposed to do?" She asked with wide eyes.  
  
"Two."  
  
She started to shake and turned to her room to scramble in, but tripped and fell.  
  
"One." He stepped on her leg to hold her in place and unwrapped a whip from his belt. He snapped it into her back in a quick three snaps and she screamed.  
  
"Let me correct myself, you don't get regular beatings if you have Sara. You do get whatever I decide to give you though." He lifted his foot off of her leg and told her, "You have three more seconds."  
  
She scrambled into her room as she sobbed in pain.  
  
"Three, you didn't grab Sara."  
  
She ran back out and grabbed Sara. She turned back around and ran back in.  
  
Master Alan shoved the door shut, let his head fall back, and belted out laughing. He shook his head and looked at the rest of us. His gaze fell on me and he told me, "Open your mouth."  
  
I slowly let my jaw open, and cried out as he grabbed it roughly. My cheek was throbbing from where he had hit it earlier. He slowly brought the tip of the whip up where I could see it, then slid it across my tongue. I tried to jerk my head back as my mouth filled with the coppery taste of blood, but he just gripped my chin harder. He held me long enough that I stopped fighting, then shoved me back.  
  
I started to spit out the taste, but stopped and swallowed when he raised his hand to hit me again.  
  
He put the rest of the kids in their rooms, with Laran and Jarad sharing, until I was the only one left. He led me to a room in a different hall. I expected it to be the same as the others, but it wasn't at all. It was very big, bigger than any room I'd ever been in before. Lining the walls were all sorts of knives, whips, and other weapons. Also there were shelves of books. There was a big bed with many blankets and a fireplace.  
  
"You are my chosen one, so you get a better room. I will have tutors brought in for you only. My master doesn't like stupidity, and you're the only one she'll ever see. If you'd like, you can teach the others reading, writing, and sums. They are not to learn weapons work at all. You are going to learn, because you are...my student for a lack of a better term. You are going to learn to do everything I know about torturing people. You will attend to me at the meetings, too."  
  
"What meetings," I asked cautiously.  
  
"You know I have a master. Well, she and some of her associates decided to form a group. Each of them has someone like me. Someone to serve them and give them power if they can. Master Natalia is the most powerful. She is the only blood path mage. The others have other gifts. All of us who serve them have slaves like you whom are beaten. Not all of them get power from it, but they all like to cause pain in others. We meet every once in a while, to see what is happening. The Masters have different things that they do, but I don't always know about them. One time they tried to kill the queen of Valdemar, but it didn't work. There have been other things tried, and some have worked. Well, I'll bid you goodnight for now." He turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.  
  
The next morning I woke up to the snap of a whip by my head. I jerked awake and sat up quickly.  
  
"Get up. It's time for everyone to be branded. Follow me. You can eat breakfast after we're done." He turned around and started walking away.  
  
I scrambled up and hurried after him so I didn't get whipped. I walked behind him through a beautiful set of doors into a small room with a table in the middle of it. The table took up most of the room, and next to it was a fireplace. There were no windows, but a fire was burning and that gave off enough light to see pretty well.  
  
Master Alan turned to me and said, "Go, until you find one of the other's rooms. Bring one child at a time. You will go last. If you even think of taking off with a kid, you both will be beaten unconscious. Now go." He turned away to put some sort of metal rod into the fire.  
  
I turned and walked slowly out of the room. It took me a while to find the correct hallway, but I eventually did. I could tell it was the right one by the slots in the doors for light. All of the slots were closed and I could hear muffled sobs from the inside of some of the doors.  
  
I opened one at random and saw the twins, Laran and Jarad. They looked out into the hallway in fear, blinking to see in the sudden light. They both had tear stains on their cheeks, but weren't crying at the moment.  
  
"One of you needs to come with me. The other will come next." I barely said it loud enough to be heard, but they nodded.  
  
Jarad came walking out and I closed the door again. He followed me down the halls and told me that Master Alan had come back the night before.  
  
"He snapped the whip and struck each one of us. Everyone was screaming. Then he said that if we stopped crying we could have light for the night. No one could stop, we were so scared. He snapped all of the light slits shut. That just made some of them scream louder," he stopped speaking as we reached the room. We slowly entered the room and saw Master Alan sitting on the table waiting for us.  
  
Without saying anything, he grabbed Jarad and put him on his stomach on the table. I saw that there were chains on the four corners of the table to hold his hands and feet.  
  
Master Alan looked at me and nodded to the chains, "put them on him, now."  
  
I did as he asked, then he turned some crank at each one that took the slack out of each chain. He did something to the chain of one foot that made it so Jarad couldn't move it at all. He could wiggle his foot, but it wouldn't move much at all.  
  
Master Alan let go of Jarad and he started struggling to get the chains off. Master Alan looked at me and nodded to a bucket in a corner I hadn't noticed and told me to wash Jarad's foot off.  
  
I did as he said, and then moved to a corner as he pulled the rod out of the fire. I said a strangled, "No." He didn't even look at me, but pushed the rod into Jarad's foot.  
  
Jarad screamed shrilly, then passed out. I turned around and lost all that was in my stomach. Master Alan started chuckling and didn't stop. He grabbed my head and made me look at Jarad's foot. On the heel, was a raised burnt spot. That spot was in the shape of a whip.  
  
So on it went, but Master Alan went and got the kids this time. He had to carry the branded ones back to their cells. He smeared something on the burns and said it would heal quicker, but leave the scar. Later, he said, they would get color added to them.  
  
When all the kids were done but me, I huddled in the corner hoping he would forget about me...he didn't.  
  
He grabbed me and dropped me onto the table. He put on the normal four chains, then added more. Soon I couldn't move more than jerking my shoulders a bit. I was sobbing and trying to get away, but nothing loosened. Then he pulled out a knife and slit the back of my shirt. I started screaming in fear. He put a different rod into the fire with a bigger head on it. When it turned orange, he lifted it out, looked at me, smiled, and pushed it into my back. I screamed in pain, and welcomed the blackness when it came. 


	2. Surviving

Chapter two:  
  
Life continued like this for a while, with other things randomly thrown in. Master Alan taught me to use a whip, knife, sword, and bow and arrow. I was also taught to fight hand to hand. The reason for all of this, I learned, was that there were five of the Masters and five people above them. Master Alan's master, Master Natalia, was the only blood path mage, but the others loved to cause pain. Master Alan simplified it down to Masters, Servants, and Slaves.  
  
Master Alan also brought in tutors to teach me reading, writing, sums, and geography. I taught what I could to the other kids, but when your head is spinning with pain, you don't really want to learn much.  
  
All of our burns were filled in with ink. At the end of the whip was blood dripping down forming the name "Alan." Now anyone could see who we belonged to easily. We were told that all of the servants branded their slaves like this. They each had their version of a chosen one who had the back tattoo. We all healed, then were introduced to Master Alan's torture machines. I had to learn to use them, and then to whip the kids in the machines. I learned quickly how to make it look worse then it was.  
  
After we had lived there for a year, Master Alan took me to a meeting with the other servants. I met the other chosen slaves and had to participate in the "challenges." If you were challenged in hand to hand fighting, it was fought until someone yielded. Swords were until someone was disarmed. Knives were thrown at a target and you tried to make your knife stick in the handle of the person's who threw first. The knives we used had a special base that was flat. Bow and Arrow was just who could hit closest to the target. Whips were a little more painful. You held the whip in one hand and held it out to the side. The other person snapped the whip at your arm or hand to try to get you to drop the whip. They got one shot, then you got one shot. It went back and forth until someone dropped the whip.  
  
On the way to the meeting Master Alan told me the rules. I wasn't allowed to show anyone the tattoo on my back. All of the Masters and Servants had nicknames and were only called them. Master Alan was Whip and his Master was Blood. The other Servants were Knife, Sword, Hands, and Bow. They weren't very original, but they worked. The Masters were Blood, a blood mage, Wind, whose gift was fetching, Mind, whose gift was mindspeech, Flame, whose gift was firestarting, and Longsight, whose gift was farsight. I wasn't allowed to say whose slave I was. No one else was to tell me whose Master was theirs either. The rest of the rules were along those lines.  
  
I was challenged a few times at that meeting and at the meetings following it, but I never challenged anyone else. I won every whip challenge I fought, and most of the other challenges. Eventually they stopped challenging me, because they couldn't get the reaction they wanted out of me. They seemed to have fun with the challenges, and I'd pretty mush forgotten how to have fun. My life was used up with taking care of the other kids and being hit by Master Alan.  
  
In our second year at Master Alan's home, I developed mindspeech. Master Alan had another tutor brought in, and I learned to control it well. Eventually it grew powerful enough that I could talk to the other kids even though they didn't have the gift. I also got the gift of thought sensing, so I could pick up from their minds what they wanted to reply. We got very adept at speaking to each other this way and soon it was pretty much the only way we spoke to each other.  
  
Everything settled down into a routine pretty much. None of us liked it, but we accepted it because we had no choice. From the books in my room, I learned about Heralds and Companions. I made up stories for the others about Heralds coming and rescuing us. Nobody believed them, but they sounded nice. 


	3. Rescued

Chapter Three:  
  
It was in the sixth year at Master Alan's house when everything changed. It was a bad day in the house and I was very sore. Master Alan had come home from a tavern very drunk and very mad. He started hitting everyone, so I distracted him and got all the others out of the room. He noticed just as the last one, Sara, was leaving. He snapped out his whip and got her in the back hard. She ran for it so he laid into me. I would have run, but I wasn't near a door. Now my back was wrapped up poorly, since I couldn't reach it well, and it hurt like hell.  
  
Master Alan had finally passed out in a chair, when something made a huge boom in the front of the house. I ran to see what it was and to try to keep the noise down so he wouldn't wake up again. I checked where all of the others were, but they were all in their rooms. I ran around the corner and slammed to a stop. Standing in the front room was a group of people dressed in white clothes. They looked like the Heralds out of the books. Behind them was the remains of the door in splinters and ash.  
  
I stepped back nervously when one of them grabbed my arm, "Where is the master of the house?"  
  
"Asleep," I said as evenly as I could. "Are you Heralds?"  
  
"Yes," replied one of the others. He was an intimidating man who wore dark grey clothes instead of white. I hadn't seen him at first. "Seen one of us before, have you not?"  
  
"No. Are you going to take Master Alan away?"  
  
"Yes, if you'll show us where he is."  
  
"I'll tell you and you can go yourselves." As I talked to them I called out with my mind :Hey guys. The Heralds are here. Get anything you need quickly and get out of the house. Go out to the woods behind the house and I'll meet you later.:  
  
I looked at the Heralds who looked at me with expressions I couldn't read. Then I told them where he was. "Be careful," I added, "He carries a long whip and knows how to use it."  
  
The Herald who had grabbed me had loosened his grip and after I had told them what I could, I jerked my arm free and ran for my room. I was almost there when I heard one of the children scream. I ran for her and jumped on the back of the Herald who scared her. I tore at her arms until she dropped Sara then called out, "Run!" Sara ran for it and I concentrated on getting away myself. All the stories had said Heralds were good, but they were stories after all. I didn't trust stories to tell the absolute truth, and now would be a bad time to be wrong.  
  
All of the sudden I found myself on the ground, unable to move. The Herald was on top of me pinning me to the ground.  
  
"Why do you fight me?"  
  
"I don't know you. We can take care of ourselves. Just take Master Alan away and we'll be happy. Why won't you let us go?"  
  
"We're trying to help. We also need you to tell what happened to you. What he did to you, so he can be convicted. Also, we can't leave a bunch of kids to fend for themselves. You can come with us, and we'll find you families to live with. We've done it before. We caught one of the others in this circle a week ago."  
  
"That explains a lot. Who did you catch?"  
  
"I'm not sure what her name was. I wasn't there when it happened. I was already trying to find this place. We have leads on the other people, but we're not sure how many there are. Do you know?"  
  
"Maybe, but I could tell you more if you promise to let all of the children choose whether to go or stay."  
  
"Fine, let's go see the others. Right now everyone is out with the Companions, including the children. If I let you up, will you walk with me nicely?"  
  
I nodded and concentrated on getting up without making any noise. My back felt like it was on fire. She didn't say anything, but I think she saw. I don't think she wanted to say anything to make me want to leave and not go with them and tell them everything. We hurried down the halls and stepped outside. The children were all staring at me waiting to see what to do.  
  
:You get to choose whether to go or stay. I'm not going to tell you what to do, or what I'm going to do. You have to choose for yourselves. If you stay it will be hard. We'll have to find jobs and fight off anyone who tries to hurt us. If you go, they will find you families to live with. They will be nice families, not like Master Alan. Now, it is time to choose. Say your choice out loud, please.: I said into all of their minds and then waited for their answers.  
  
They talked among themselves, then Lincoln turned to the Heralds and me, "We'd like to go with the Heralds. We want you to come with us, too, Ria. We don't want you to stay behind."  
  
I nodded, "I'll stay long enough to tell them what I can, but I am not going to live with a family. I'll find work and come visit you all sometimes." I looked around at the Heralds and saw Master Alan tied up on one of the Companions. He was bound and gagged, but was staring daggers at me. I looked at the Herald who had pinned me, "None of the children have ridden before. Master Alan has a wagon that would be better for them, if that would work. It would take longer I know, but it would be easier for them. Also, it would make a gap in the time that Master Alan arrives and we do. Hopefully most of the people won't connect the two. The children don't need to be tiptoed around, it would only hurt them."  
  
The Heralds looked at each other and smiled a little. The dark Herald was the next to speak, "A good point, I think, she has. A wagon, it will be, for them to ride in."  
  
"Also, can we have your names? It's a little difficult just to call you m'lady and m'lord Heralds. You all would answer."  
  
They smiled again and we exchanged names. The dark Herald was Alberich and the Herald that pinned me was Sherrill.  
  
Herald Skiff stepped forward and said, "Why don't you show us where this wagon is, so we can get going. Alberich can manage take care of himself with that Alan character, but why doesn't someone else go with him."  
  
I watched as Herald Alberich and Herald Sandra mounted up and cantered off.  
  
I looked around at everyone looking at me and sighed, "I don't know where he kept it. I only know that we came here in it, and I've ridden in it when he wasn't feeling very mean at times. It has always met us at the front door. We'll have to search for it. Do you guys want to stay here with the Companions, or search for it with us?"  
  
Some of them stayed and some of them joined the Heralds and I. It took a while, but we eventually found it. To my surprise the Companions themselves would pull it. Two of them got stripped of their saddles and stepped into place in front of the wagon. The saddles were stored in the wagon and everyone piled in. I looked longingly at the companions, wanting to ride one, but I started for the wagon like the others.  
  
Sherrill called me over to her, "Would you like to ride with me? Then you can tell me what you know as we go."  
  
I agreed and swung up behind her. "They separate themselves into Masters, Servants, and Slaves..." I told her everything I knew about Master Alan, but only a little about everyone else. I wasn't sure if they could protect us from Master Natalia when she learned about this. I marveled at how smooth the ride was as time passed, and tried not to think about her.  
  
It took us the better part of a fortnight to reach the capitol. The children each got to ride a Companion for a while and they loved it. They switched from the quiet kids to actual children that I had observed before. They still looked to me when they had bad dreams or problems, but they actually started having fun and playing games. I relaxed some too, and I felt safer than I ever had before.  
  
When the wagon stopped in front of the palace my knees were trembling, but I jumped out of the wagon determined not to show it. The children all crowded around me nervously. We were led into a room where a lady sat waiting for us. I recognized her from a picture Master Alan had shown me one day with all of the royalty in it. I immediately sank to the floor in a deep curtsy. The other children followed my example and curtsied and bowed clumsily.  
  
"Oh, do get up please. I'm only the queen in the throne room or in council sessions. Now I'm only another Herald." She said it with a little pout that said that she had to say that too much. We all got up slowly and looked at her, waiting to see what would happen. "Well now, you all get to make a choice. I have some people without children, who would love some. You get to choose to go to a family, or to stay here and go to school. I understand one of you refuses to go to a family and that's fine. I would like it if you stayed here and entered the school. Some of the children from the last group we caught stayed here for the school."  
  
It ended up that I was the only one that would stay to go to school without having a family, but some of the others would attend the school, but have a family to go home to. I didn't think I needed a family, and didn't want to give anyone the chance to hurt me anymore. I was shown to my room, and given uniforms to wear. I gratefully went to bed and was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.  
  
The next morning I woke up and washed before the morning bell rang. I waited for the bell, then went and ate breakfast. My morning classes went quickly and before I knew it, it was lunch time. None of the children had been at breakfast, but they were here for lunch. They were all bursting with happiness and talking about their families and classes. I listened to them all and congratulated them happily. It was great that they got such good families. Only Micah, Raina, Zachariah, and Gabriel were going to this school with me. The other kids, I heard, were going to be apprenticed to some local crafts. Sara was too young to go to school yet, but she would go here when she was old enough. For now, she lived on a farm and got to play with the farmers kids while they worked. One of the Heralds had stopped me and told me this in the halls.  
  
My class after lunch was weapons so I ate lightly. I was one of the last in the class and I tried to blend in so I wouldn't get singled out. I looked around the class at the students, and froze. I recognized one of the boys from Master Alan's meetings. He caught me staring and looked over at me. His face registered his surprise and he walked over to me.  
  
"Hello, my name is Daniel. Call me Danny. I think I recognize you. You were one of us weren't you."  
  
I gave a sharp nod and said, "Ria."  
  
"Want to put on a show for these guys? The teacher's going to be late. I learned that if you impress them, they want to get to know you more. I'm already accepted, so you can be too."  
  
"What show?"  
  
For an answer he threw a knife, one that I hadn't seen, between my feet. It was a challenge, and I had never refused a challenge. I pulled my whip from around my waist, where it had looked like a belt and snapped the ground between his feet.  
  
"What are the stakes?" I asked.  
  
"Showing each other our backs," he grinned as he said it because it was always forbidden.  
  
I agreed and the battle was on. He had two knives and I had two whips. We were taught to always carry your weapons in pairs for this reason. My knife shot was a little off, and he won. I looked around and saw everyone had stopped talking and was watching us. They made a circle around us and watched to see what would happen next.  
  
We both rolled up our right sleeves, and I tossed him a whip.  
  
"You first," I told him.  
  
He nodded and cracked his whip into my arm. It didn't break skin, but it still stung. He held out his arm and I snapped the end of my whip into his knuckles. He hissed out a breath but held onto his whip. It went on for quite a while, but eventually he dropped his whip. I had won. We looked around and saw that we were surrounded by a circle of white.  
  
Danny looked at me and gave a little smile, "Oops." He was wrapping his arm up with a bandage one of them had handed to him.  
  
"What do you think you are doing?" One of the Heralds snapped out.  
  
"We were both challenged and we both answered. That is what we have grown up knowing. Nobody was really hurt," Danny told them.  
  
One of them handed me a bandage and I realized that my arm was dripping blood.  
  
"Not hurt? What do you call all of that blood?"  
  
"Worse has happened to both of us," I said calmly. "What doesn't kill, makes you stronger."  
  
Danny looked at me and said, "Time for the unveiling. I'll show you my back, then you show me yours."  
  
He turned and lifted up his shirt. On his back was a tattoo of a knife being blown in the wind. The wind spelled out the name Cleo. He dropped his shirt and turned around.  
  
"So, you were Knife and Wind's slave. I thought you were Sword's. You were always good with a blade." He gave a little smile and nod.  
  
I reached under my shirt and unwrapped the bandage from my back. I hadn't taken it off for two weeks, because I didn't want people to know about my back. I had to take it off now, though, because those were the terms. Some of it caught and I had to jerk it off. Some of the scabs broke open and bled, but it mostly came off smoothly. I dropped the bandage to the floor and lifted up my shirt as I turned away from him. He gasped when he saw my back. "You were Blood and Whip's slave. I'm very sorry for you. How long were you with them?"  
  
"Six years."  
  
"Why do you guys name two people who owned you? Also, why did Danny gasp when you showed him your back? Are you hurt?" One of the Heralds was very curious it seemed.  
  
"No, I'm fine. When we were chosen by our Masters, they put a tattoo on our backs to show ownership that's all. We aren't allowed to show anyone our backs, so they don't know who owns us. He just found out whose I was. Also, each of our Masters had a Master themselves. We were categorized into Masters, Servants, and Slaves." I didn't say anymore because I heard one of the children yelling my name. They weren't within hearing range, but I was linked with each of them. I bolted for the door without a word and ran to find Gabriel.  
  
I found him in the mud behind one of the buildings. The boys who pushed him down were still standing around him, taunting him. When they saw me they stopped and smiled.  
  
"So this is Ria? This is who is going to protect you? A girl fights for you. You can't pro..." The boy broke off and his friends stopped snickering as I slammed my fist into his face. He went down hard and the fight was on.  
  
I was holding my own despite the unfair numbers and my sore back when the fight was broken up. A couple Heralds had heard the noise and came to investigate. All of the boys stopped immediately and I stepped over to see how Gabriel was doing. He was trembling, but unhurt. I helped him to stand up and glared at the boys, ignoring the Heralds who were lecturing.  
  
"Gabriel, Zachariah, Raina, and Micah are off limits. You touch them and you deal with me."  
  
They glared at me but didn't say anything they would regret in front of the Heralds. We were sent on our ways with a stern warning and threat of punishment if it happened again.  
  
My back felt moist and I realized that all of the gashes that had partially healed were torn open again. Once I had seen Gabriel to his next class I ran to my room and threw another cloth around my back. I didn't have time to do anything more than run a clean rag over it before I bandaged it. I had to get to class. My next class was Mathematics. I had learned more advanced Mathematics than they were teaching so it wasn't too bad.  
  
The rest of the day passed quickly, and soon it was time to bathe and go to bed. I waited until all of the other girls were done with their bathes, then quickly scrubbed and went to bed. I was tired and fell asleep quickly.  
  
The rest of the week passed without any big occurrences. My back got progressively worse and soon it was hot to the touch. I tried to ignore it, because I didn't have any of the cream for injuries that Master Alan used to give us. He wanted us to heal quickly so we could 'donate' blood quicker.  
  
After a few more days I started to have dizzy spells and my back felt as if it were on fire. I couldn't concentrate in class very well at all. I tried to behave like normal and it seemed to be working.  
  
I was in weapons class working out with another 'Blue' when one of the dizzy spells hit. I stumbled and my ears buzzed. I heard people saying something, but I couldn't understand them. I closed my eyes for a second, then jerked my head back as someone touched it. I opened my eyes and saw the teacher kneeling in front of me. It was Herald Kerowyn and behind her stood Herald Alberich.  
  
"Havens child, you're burning up! What's wrong? Where do you hurt?" Herald Captain Kerowyn stared deep into my eyes as if she could look to the center of my soul.  
  
I jerked back out of her grasp, "I'm fine. I was just a little light- headed." I bumped into someone and hissed out a breath as my back ached.  
  
Kero grabbed my arms and spun me around before I could do anything. I probably couldn't do anything anyway, as I felt weaker than I had ever felt before. My knees buckled and she picked me up in her arms like a child.  
  
"You are going to the Healers, no arguing."  
  
I wanted to protest, but I lacked the strength.  
  
At the Healers I was set on my stomach on a bed. They slid my shirt off and unwrapped my back. The healer hissed out a little breath and winced. Kero looked straight into my eyes, "How long has this been happening?"  
  
I started to shrug, then thought better of it. "I don't know really. My back was starting to heal, then I got into the tussle with Herald Sherrill. After that I got into a fight in some mud with some other Blues. I didn't get to wash it as well as I should have, because I was late."  
  
"How long were you going to leave it alone as it got more infected?"  
  
"I don't kn-ahh-ow." I clenched my jaw as the healer cleaned my back and reopened some of the wounds at the same time.  
  
She just shook her head and walked out the door. 


	4. Suicide

Chapter four:  
  
As time went by I realized how little I was needed here. Nobody needed me at all, not even "my kids." I guess you could say that I got depressed. I had no focus at all. I let my schoolwork fall. I barely turned in anything. I spoke to almost no one, then only the other 'kids' occasionally. They were all busy with their families and lives and rarely saw me.  
  
I don't know when I decided to commit suicide; it just popped into my mind one day. I thought about it for a while, rolling it around in my mind. I figured it was a good idea. I wouldn't be a charity case for anyone anymore, I wouldn't be lonely anymore, and, well, I wouldn't be anything anymore. I had nothing to live for now. Before, at Master Alan's house, I had to live so the other kids could live. If I died, they died. Now there was no consequence.  
  
I chose the day carefully, because I didn't want to wreck a nice sunny day. That was pretty much all we had in the summer. Finally there was an overcast day that made most people slothful. I had chosen to slit my wrists, so I grabbed my knife.  
  
I figured I only got to do this once so I wanted to do it right. I decided to go out to the forest and climb a tree. I would tie myself to a branch and do it there. I liked the trees; they were so pretty and tall.  
  
On my way out I had to go through the Companion's field. I wasn't sure about the Companions. At first I had thought they were just well trained, white horses, but I had seen many things that didn't add up with that. I had heard conversations that seemed to come from them and the Heralds. It had spooked me and I had tightened my shields since then.  
  
I passed a pond with a single boy swimming in it. Suddenly, when I was almost out of hearing range, he cried out in pain. "Cramp," he hollered, "I've got a cramp." I turned and ran back to the water's edge. I couldn't swim, but I snaked the whip I had brought with me to tie myself to the tree with over the water. He gratefully grabbed on to it and I hauled him in. I heard hooves thundering up behind me and his Companion skidded to a stop beside me. She wuffled all over him, making sure he was all right. She turned and lipped my hair in thanks when she was done.  
  
I ducked my head and walked quickly away. I didn't even notice when they looked at each other and followed me. I picked out a tall tree with a lot of branches so I could climb it easier. I struggled up and tied myself to it with the whip.  
  
I reached out with my mind and spoke only to the 'kids' :Good bye, you guys. I'll see you at the Havens.:  
  
I took out the knife I had chosen and balanced it between my knees. I looked down and saw the boy and his Companion watching me.  
  
"Hey what're ya doing?" The boy called up to me curiously.  
  
"Nothing for you to concern yourself about. Please leave."  
  
He looked up at me strangely, but they faded back into the trees.  
  
I felt the 'kids' trying to contact me worriedly and shielded harder. I set my wrists to the blade and slashed down deeply. I bit my lips until they bled to keep from crying out.  
  
I heard an equine scream and saw the boy and Companion were back at the bottom of the tree. It didn't seem to matter any more, nothing seemed to matter. The knife fell to the ground and I leaned back into the tree. Soon, there were more people there and a man dressed oddly in many colors climbed quickly up the tree. He bandaged up my arms and untied me quickly. When I felt him doing this, I started struggling weakly. He ignored me and soon we were on the ground. I jerked around and succeeded in getting the bandages off my arms. I pulled at the wounds and tried to get them to bleed more. They grabbed my arms when they saw this. I had lost a lot of blood and gratefully passed out into blackness.  
  
The first thing I thought of when I woke up is that I messed up. I was still alive. The second thing I noticed was that there were people around and they were talking about me.  
  
:I wonder why she tried to kill herself. I checked with the other kids from her group and they said that they would have never thought she'd do it. What do you think?:  
  
:I think that she is awake right now. I don't know why she did it, maybe Talia can figure it out.:  
  
"Of course I'm awake. You guys are talking loud enough to wake up the dead." It was just after I said this that I realized they hadn't said anything out loud. They turned to me in surprise and I muttered out, "Hell, why now." Now would be the time I slipped up.  
  
Before the Heralds could comment, a Healer came bustling into the room to check on me. She looked over me with a look of pity and a little disgust. "Well, you're awake at least. Your arms probably burn like crazy, but they'll heal. Won't scar too bad either. Now, I want you to take it easy for awhile. Somebody is going to room with you for a little bit. She's one of our Herald trainees who got hurt pretty bad. She'll be in here in not too long and I'd appreciate it if you were nice to her. Well, there's nothing I can do for you now, so I'll be on my way."  
  
She turned and scurried out again before anyone could say a word.  
  
The Heralds turned to me, "So, you can mindspeak, huh? Any other gifts you've been hiding from us?" The only male in the room was the one who spoke. There were also two females whom I didn't know.  
  
"I haven't hidden anything from you. You never asked me if I had any gifts. Well, I have mindspeach, obviously. I also have thought sensing. I have both of them in a pretty large supply, or so my tutors told me. They didn't like it that I could shield from them either. I don't think I have any others. I also apologize for eavesdropping on your conversation earlier. My shields were low, so I just over heard."  
  
I think we would have had a longer talk, they certainly wanted to, but the trainee was brought into the room.  
  
It turned out to be a girl of about eight. I learned that her gifts had opened early and had caused some damage to the 'channels.' Also, she was badly hurt from a fall on a mountain. She had only been chosen today while she was being brought to the Healers. Ironically, she had mindspeach, which wasn't as powerful as mine, but it made her think she was crazy.  
  
She was asleep when she was brought in, but soon after they all left she woke up. She looked at me with fear in her eyes.  
  
"It's okay, nobody here will hurt you. My name is Ria, what's yours?"  
  
"Austen. Am I crazy? I keep hearing voices and they hurt my head." She started to cry and I hurried over to her bed.  
  
I stumbled a little from loss of blood earlier, but made it over without falling. I gathered her in my arms and rocked her a little on her bed.  
  
"You aren't crazy. You're nowhere near crazy. What you have is called a gift. You have the ability to mindspeak and you're going to become a Herald. Would you like me to teach you to stop the voices?" She looked up at me with tears in her eyes and nodded quickly.  
  
"You have to promise me one thing first."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You have to promise not to tell them that I taught you, okay?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
"Do you think you can sleep some more? I promise to stop the voices until I can teach you how to."  
  
"Can you start teaching me now? I'm not tired anymore."  
  
So the lessons began, and soon she had passable shields. This was more from her determination than my teaching ability.  
  
The day after I woke up, when I was still shielding both of us girls, a Herald came and talked to both of us. I learned that it was Herald Talia, the one who was supposed to find out why I slit my wrists. I didn't say much and she didn't push at all. Austen relaxed with her and I think she felt a lot better when Talia left. I quickly learned her whole life story, and everything else she cared to tell me, but I didn't mind. I made up a background for myself, and an illness for why I was at the Healers. She didn't question any of it at all.  
  
I quickly learned that she had nightmares and liked to cuddle up to someone when she was scared. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence to wake up with her cuddled in my arms. We were always in our own beds when other people came into the room, though. I always 'listened' to the hall coming down to our room and sent her to her own bed when someone was coming to check on us.  
  
The 'kids' came in as soon as they were allowed. They all babbled at once, but didn't mention what I did. Many of them had tried to kill themselves at one time or another, without success. When they finally left, I was exhausted. I fell into a fitful sleep, and for the first time, dreamed of being back at Master Alan's house.  
  
I woke up drenched in sweat, cuddled against someone's chest. Judging from the softness and the fragrance, it was a female. I jerked my eyes open and stared up at a young Herald whom I didn't know.  
  
"Shhh, you're okay now. It's only a dream." She spoke softly, so as not to startle me.  
  
I wanted to do nothing but lean into her and sob for hours, but that would be weak. One thing I learned at Master Alan's was that weakness was not an option. Someone would take advantage of any weakness you showed. You couldn't rely on anyone but yourself.  
  
I clenched my jaw and rolled away from her, "thank you, but I'm fine."  
  
She gave a sad smile, "No, you're not. I'm an Empath, and felt everything you did. Your shields were low, and feelings high. Would you like to talk about it?"  
  
"No, I can't." I started shaking from keeping the tears in. It had been about three years since I had cried. I had promised myself that I wouldn't cry for Master Alan ever again, and I hadn't. All that pent up emotion wanted to come out now. My eyes filled up and I sniffed and blinked, trying to keep it all in.  
  
The girl scooped me up again and I bawled against her chest. I cried for what seemed like hours, then spoke for even longer. It was like I couldn't stop. When it was all over I felt more tired than I ever had before in my life. She stayed with me until I fell asleep, but when I woke up in the morning, she was gone.  
  
I immediately built up my shields as thick as I could make them. My eyes were sore, but my head was clear. I thought about my options for a while. I could stay and still be useless, or I could go out into the world and find something to do by myself. I finally decided to sneak out and do my own thing. I snuck out the window and went to my old room. I put on the clothes that I had come here in and grabbed my weapons. I went back to the healer's room and said good bye to Austen. She cried a little, but said she wouldn't tell on me. I promised her that I would keep in touch, and left quickly. 


	5. Independent

Chapter five:  
  
I ended up working as an information broker and an errand runner. I got hired as a spy, a procurer, and many other miscellaneous jobs. Nobody knew who I was, or where I stayed. They knew if they asked around that I would find them for the job. Occasionally, I shared the information with Austen, who in turn told the queen. We both had strong enough mindspeech to keep in touch without anyone else realizing it except her Companion, who promised not to say a word.  
  
Most of the time I knocked on her shields and waited awhile until she could get back to me, but this time was different. I waited impatiently until they cracked a little bit open.  
  
:Hurry up!!! This is important.:  
  
:Sorry,: She replied. :I'm in an important meeting with the Queen and Herald Talia.:  
  
:Blood is in town and is going to try to kill the Queen and her family. She brought all of the other Masters with her. She even brought some of the Servants. There are seven of them total. All of the Masters, Sword and Hands are here. They got here yesterday and are going to attack tomorrow. Blood is going to the Queen, and the others are going for Prince Daren, Princess Elspeth, Princess Lyra, and Prince Kris. Double on Daren and Elspeth. Tell them so they can prepare. I don't know how they are planning to get in yet. I've got to go now, they're leaving the building now.: I rushed through this showing many pictures to tell it faster. When I finished, I slammed my shields up and didn't answer when she tried to talk back. They were all leaving and I had to follow them.  
  
I didn't know that Blood had noticed me until I couldn't move anymore. Hands turned back and swung me up over her shoulders and they took me along. I was taken to a mansion and realized how they would get in; one of them was a noble. They would just walk in and no one would say a word.  
  
I tried to talk to Austen again, but Blood was blocking me. I was taken to a room that was very familiar. It was identical to Master Alan's torture room. I was dropped to the floor and the binding spell was lifted off of me. I could move, but I still couldn't contact Austen.  
  
"You can't break through my shields child, so don't even try. Now, why don't you tell us what you've already told," Blood said calmly.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. I was just goin' to the store when I saw yo..." My mouth snapped shut as she backhanded me into the wall. I really hated it when that happened and vowed not to tell her a thing.  
  
That night was worse than anything else I had ever had to endure. I was burned, beaten, cut, and given nightmares. I was shown what would happen to everyone I knew if I didn't tell them what I had said and who I had said it to. It didn't even stop when I was unconscious. Mind just sent pictures into my head. None of my bones were broken, thankfully, but they might as well have been for all I wanted to move.  
  
Early in the morning they had left in disgust when I still didn't speak. I had been left whimpering in a corner. I kept track of them with my mind and knew when they left to launch their attack. There plan was very simple, kill the people and get out without getting caught. If you got caught and couldn't kill the person who caught you, you killed yourself. They were doing this because they were tired of the Queen finding and giving the Servants the death sentence.  
  
After they left, I slammed at Blood's shields and realized they were no longer there. She had thought I would stay unconscious and not be a problem. I quickly contacted Austen :They are on their way. One of them is a noble so they can get in easy. I'll show you what they all look like. Sorry I can't do more, but they caught me last night. Tell me how it ends up, okay?: I showed her what they looked like and waited for an answer.  
  
:Great, I've got them sent out to everyone who can receive. They got you last night? Are you okay?:  
  
:Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing a little time won't cure. Just tell me what happens later, okay?:  
  
:Alright fine, but then you'll tell me where you are, and no arguments. You're only thirteen, and shouldn't have to do everything yourself. Besides, I had to tell the Queen who my informant was. She wants you back here also. She will want to thank you, too. Oh, gotta go. Something's happening. They got here quick. Don't worry; we've got a lot of guards and Heralds hidden to protect everyone. We called in all of them today.: She broke off in a hurry after telling me this.  
  
It seemed like hours before she got back to me, but in actuality it was only about 45 minutes.  
  
:Ria, you still okay?: I heard her call out to me.  
  
:Yeah, I'm the same as before. Did you kill all of them?:  
  
:Blood got away. You need to tell us where you are so she can't get to you.: She spoke urgently and I hurried to ease her fear.  
  
:Don't worry, I'm on my way out right now. She won't get me again if I can help it.: I said this forcefully, and forced my legs to support my weight. The first thing I had to do was to find clothes. :I'll talk to you later, after I'm out of here.:  
  
I didn't wait for a reply, and closed my shields. I hobbled through the halls, whimpering with every movement. Cuts that were starting to scab broke open again, and burned skin was stretched. I ached all over, but I had to get out of this house. I finally found someone's bedroom and I raided their drawers for clothes. I left my feet bare, but I found pants and a long sleeved shirt. I grabbed some that were loose enough not to stick to the wounds, and tight enough not to rub them raw.  
  
I worked my way slowly outside and was two streets away when I 'felt' her return to her house. I quickly contacted Austen, and told her where it was. I reassured her again that I was okay, a total lie, and shielded once more. 


End file.
